We'll bet you have heard that there are really amazing health benefits to the sweet potato over their white potato cousin. But what is it that makes them so special?

Isn’t anything that has “sweet” in its name, not the better choice? That may be true for some things, but not with potatoes. What you have heard is true and we have listed 10 reasons why you should go searching for a few recipes and add these truly tasty taters to your shopping list.

Sweet potatoes are more than just a delicious side dish; they are packed with essential nutrients that offer a range of health benefits. Here’s a closer look at why you should add sweet potatoes to your grocery list.

10 Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

1. Good For Your Gut Microbiome
2. Immunity Builder
3. Packed with Cancer-Fighting Nutrients
4. Linked to Improved Vision
5. Helps Regulate Blood Sugar
6. Helps Reduce Stress and Anxiety
7. Boosts Heart Health
8. Great Source of Fiber
9. Anti-Inflammatory
10. Increased Fertility

(read more about each below)

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#1 Good For Your Gut Microbiome

Sweet potatoes have antimicrobial properties that are really great for the gut. They are a terrific dietary choice for prevention and treatment of various microbiome maladies and can be used to treat and prevent many types of infections and growth of bacterial pathogens.

A medium sweet spud contains six grams of dietary fiber. The type of starch that it has plays a part in feeding the growth of “good” bacteria that you want to encourage for optimum gut health. With good gut health comes a lower risk of infirmities such as chronic diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome (aka IBS).

#2 Immunity Builder

Eating a medium sweet potato with its skin provides over 100% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which supports vision, bone health, and immune function. Pair it with healthy fats, like avocado, for better absorption. (NCBI; Science Direct)

Did you know that just one cup of baked sweet potato takes care of over 50% of the body’s need for vitamin C? This crucial vitamin is responsible for tissue repair and important for healing when you sustain a wound.

Because they are rich in antioxidants, they also lessen the damage caused by free radicals.

#3 Packed With Cancer Fighting Nutrients

There is a treasure trove of wonderful health benefits in sweet potato skins. Cancer-fighting antioxidants are especially found there as a natural and abundant source of beta-carotene and Vitamin A.

Up to 80% of the protein contained within is a protein called sporamin. Sporamin is a distinct entity that has been studied for its cancer diminishing abilities. Promising research has been done that gives evidence of this protein inhibiting certain types of cancers and showing capabilities of slowing cancer cell growth and lowering cell migration.

#4 Linked With Improved Vision

Various eye diseases and blindness have been linked to a deficiency in vitamin A. This is not to say that if your diet contains sweet potatoes that you will have 20/20 vision your whole life, but this root vegetable is packed with several nutrients that have been shown to be supportive of overall vision and eye health.

They also contain carotenoids alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lutein that have been studied to show the same thing. For the long term in aging, the vitamins C and E have also been shown to be effectual in decreasing the oxidative stress which can lead to cataracts.

#5 Regulates Blood Sugar

When you are dealing with Type II Diabetes or the prevention of it, you want to shop for grocery items that will minimize the occurrence of insulin resistance or cause your sugar levels to go to extremes of low or high. Sweet potatoes are categorized as low on the glycemic index scale which means that they are a stable starchy food that will release the sugar slowly so there is more control in blood sugar levels. This leveling effect allows energy to remain constant throughout the day-a wonderful thing for diabetics.

#6 Helps Ease Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety are on the rise! It doesn’t seem to matter if you have a full-blown career or are busy raising the next generation, we all deal with it from time to time. The magnesium found in great quantity in these sweet taters helps in reducing it. Magnesium and depression have a link in cell-mediated immune responses and inflammation. Magnesium intake protects the brain and has shown in studies done on animals that increasing it reduces anxiety-related behaviors and depression. Check out this article for more Free Ways to Boost Your Mood

#7 Boosts Heart Health

Higher levels in magnesium and potassium found in sweet potatoes help in controlling blood pressure as well. Potassium has been shown to lower blood pressure which then decreases the risk of developing a coronary condition or having a stroke.

Potassium also helps in regulating sodium in your cells so that you don’t retain as much sodium in your blood. Too much sodium causes fluid retention which increases blood pressure problems.

#8 Great Source of Fiber

These spuds have significant amounts of fiber in them. Of course, you know that fiber is completely necessary in order to have a well-functioning digestive system and for keeping constipation at bay.

Laxatives are made up of mostly fiber too, but sweet potatoes are better tasting! See some of our very tasty sweet potato recipes.

#9 Anti-inflammatory

If you have been researching foods that will help reduce inflammation, surely you have seen this special starch on the list. The antioxidant known as Cyanidin in this vegetable, (particularly the purple flesh variety) have been known to help remove toxins in the digestive system and thereby make it an anti-inflammatory champion that protects against long term illnesses.

Choline is also a very valuable nutrient which these potatoes have in high concentration and has been effective in therapeutically reducing systemic inflammation in some people. Here are the Top 10 Foods that Fight Inflammation

#10 Increased fertility

Iron is an important element in the success of fertility in women of childbearing age. Iron is abundant in sweet potatoes. Iron specifically helps with ovulatory fertility in helping to produce and strengthen the eggs which are released in the ovaries.

What better way is there to heighten the levels of this life-giving nutrient then by eating more of the natural food sources which contain them?

Wrapping up:

Sweet potatoes are a versatile, delicious, and highly nutritious vegetable that offers a variety of health benefits.

From supporting gut health and immunity to helping manage blood sugar and reducing stress, these vibrant spuds can be a valuable part of your diet.

Next time you're at the grocery store, pick up a few sweet potatoes and reap these benefits yourself!

Do You Skip Breakfast? Here are 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You’ve probably heard this more times than you can count. And there have been innumerable studies over the years to prove this right. Missing out on this meal on a regular basis can have negative consequences on your health.

Here are 10 reasons to enjoy a healthy, hearty breakfast every morning.

1. Improved Memory

Getting a healthy dose of nutrients first thing in the morning can have a memory boosting effect. Studies have shown that eating breakfast enhances your short-term memory. Improved spatial memory has also been observed in adults and children as well.

Eating breakfast provides the nutrients needed by the central nervous system and interrupts the depletion of the energy required for daily functions. By consuming a healthy meal first thing in the morning, you provide the brain and neurotransmitters with all the nutrients they need to function optimally.

2. More Calories Burned

Wondering how eating can actually help you burn calories? Eating breakfast is a great way to boost your metabolism and burn those unwanted calories. The key is to start with breakfast and eat many smaller meals throughout the day. The findings of a study conducted by Harvard showed that those who consistently eat breakfast and included whole grains were likely to weigh less than those who skipped breakfast often.

3. Fewer Hunger Pangs Throughout the Day

If you eat breakfast in the morning, you will not feel frequently hungry throughout the day. This is essential if you’re watching your weight or trying to get fit. People who eat breakfast are also less likely to overeat and consume more calories than needed. Overeating at the end of the day, particularly at dinner is one of the main culprits behind weight gain.

4. Reduced risk of Heart Disease

Another reason why you should get your nutrients in the morning is that this could lead to lower incidences of heart disease. Eating breakfast regularly can also reduce your risk of other health problems such as insulin resistance, elevated blood sugar levels, and hypertension.

5. Lower Levels of Inflammation

Getting chronic inflammation under control can be as simple as eating breakfast every day. Skipping the first meal of the morning can lead to increased inflammation and contribute to the risk of diabetes and obesity in addition to impairing your metabolism. You can add inflammation fighting foods such as eggs, yogurt, apples, tomatoes and spinach to your breakfast for an added boost.

6. Early Dose of Vitamins

By eating your breakfast, you can get a significant portion of your daily recommended levels of nutrients at the beginning of the day. A nutritious, balanced breakfast contains over 50% of required vitamins and minerals. It is also a good idea to start your day with a high amount of fiber and iron. Skipping your morning meal will cause you to miss out on all these vital nutrients. Deficiency of vitamins has been linked to higher risks of diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

7. Lower Risk of Diabetes

By skipping breakfast, you’re putting yourself at increased risk for type 2 diabetes. Before breakfast, your body is in starvation mode, since you probably haven’t eaten for over 8 hours. Skipping breakfast can bring about a drop in your sugar levels. Fluctuating insulin levels can cause several long-term health issues.

8. Quick Energy Boost

Food provides your body with the fuel it needs to function effectively. It simply isn’t healthy to deny your body of food from dinner until lunchtime the next day. When you skip breakfast, your body begins to save energy and burn fewer calories. This causes your metabolism to drop abruptly. By eating a nutritious breakfast, you’ll have plenty of energy to burn and stay active throughout the day. If you’re late, at least pack a few protein bars. You can take a look at this article by everynutrient which can give you a good idea of what to buy.

9. First Step to Healthy Choices All Day

Starting your morning with a healthy breakfast gets you on track to make healthy choices all day. People who make an effort to eat a balanced breakfast tend to follow healthier food habits overall. As soon as you get on the right track with your breakfast, you’ll be motivated to make better choices throughout the day.

10. Enhanced Detoxification

Since your body has been in starvation mode all night, it is important to get things moving in your gut as soon as possible the next morning. When you eat breakfast, your metabolism gets going, speeding up the digestion process and making room for the next meal.

Your first meal helps you get your body on track for the rest of the day. It is the best way to detox, speed up your metabolism and keep a host of illness at bay. There’s no better way to start the day than with the right breakfast!

It's that time of year again, isn't it? The crush that comes at the end of the year has us all thinking about what's next, and how to make it happen. The good cheer and amazing food added to social engagements and a sparse amount of daylight inevitably get many of us off track with healthy eating and regular exercise. It can be difficult enough just to maintain healthy habits, let alone lose weight, but it can be done!

In case it wasn't already, your cell phone is about to become your best friend. Along with everything else you use it for in your life, your cell phone is an excellent tool to help you stay focused, organized, and on track.

In The Kitchen

We've all heard the adage that losing weight is 20 percent exercise and 80 percent diet. That 80/20 number may not be completely accurate (there are probably as many opinions as there are experts), but your eating habits have a lot to do with your overall health and your weight loss. Your favorite apps on your cell phone are a great place to store your favorite recipes, as well as new ones to try.

You can make your healthy shopping lists on it, as well. Having a list in front of you will often help to keep you from impulse buying once you get to the grocery store.

It is also helpful to keep track of your food intake so you can see what you're doing right and what you may need to improve upon. Having a daily record of your eating habits is helpful when you're getting in shape. Apps such as MyFitnessPal allow you to input your own foods, so if there's something you like that is not on their list of foods you can type in the nutrition info from the label or even scan the barcode and hit save. This does wonders in getting you to read the labels on the food you are buying and preparing., which is important.

Just so we're square, no one on earth enjoys counting calories. Using your cell phone to count them for you makes it easy!

In the Gym

Whether you save your favorite workouts to your Pinterest, have an email subscription for a new workout every week, or save your workouts with an app like Samsung Health. Save new ideas and take your phone with you to the gym. Changing up your routine can be good for the body and the mind: it keeps your muscles guessing and keeps you from getting bored with the monotony of the same-old-same-old every day.

Track Your Progress

When trying to lose weight it is important to keep track of the progress you make. Yes, this can get frustrating when you experience a setback or your stride plateaus. Keep in mind that this is normal and keep going! That pedometer on your phone measures your journey one step at a time.

Share With a Friend

Thanks to our mobile devices we can have workout buddies without needing to go to the gym at the same time as they do. This opens up your schedule but still keeps you in touch with your pals. Even if your partner can't make it to class or to the gym you can still motivate and push each other remotely. Sharing your improvement with like-minded people can give you a boost of confidence when you need one!

Another great thing about using your cell phone to help you lose weight is that you can personalize your goals accordingly. Whether you've had a setback or you're ready to take your workouts to the next level, having your advancement in black and white in front of can help you gauge what your next steps will be.

Need More? There’s an App for That, of Course

Not just one, either, there are a lot of apps for your phone that can turn it into a fitness and weight loss powerhouse. Many can help fill in the gaps in your accountability, calorie counting, or fitness goals.

Check your app store for what you are looking for. Do you want to know more than the labels tell you about your food? Are you more interested in a step counter, or a calorie counter? Is it motivation and accountability?

Like an app that publishes your accomplishments so that you get feedback on them from real people in your life? All of these types of apps and more are available, plus quite a few that blend all of those things together for you. There are even apps that track your sleep.

You can use your cell phone to keep a food and weight loss journal, too. Okay, so this can be done on paper or on your computer, as well. Regardless of whether you journal on your phone or in some other way, keeping a record of your day-to-day process is an invaluable tool.

Losing weight is not an entirely physical commitment. Your mind needs to be involved, too. Observing your moods and how your diet and exercise make you feel will help you analyze your needs, especially if you're going to be in it for the long haul. Here is a mobile-friendly Meal Planner that I use all the time.

Don't forget to pack your headphones! Whether it's your tunes or you're catching up on your favorite podcast, having something you enjoy listening to is bound to keep you happier and more energetic during your workouts.

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Kayla is the content guru at Mobility Guardian, interested in learning and creating the best of the best. When she isn’t reviewing products, finding the best nutrition tips, or looking for the ultimate workouts for you, she is spending time with her husband, fur-child, and anxiously awaiting the arrival of their baby.

Why Counting Calories Matters

Counting calories is a tried-and-true method for achieving weight management goals, whether you're aiming to lose, maintain, or gain weight. By understanding your calorie intake and expenditure, you gain control over your diet, make informed food choices, and ensure you're meeting your nutritional needs. This guide will walk you through the essentials of calorie counting, offering practical tips and insights to help you succeed.

What is Calorie Counting?

Definition and Importance

Calorie counting involves tracking the number of calories you consume each day to ensure you stay within a specific calorie range that aligns with your health goals. A calorie is a unit of energy that comes from food and beverages, and managing your calorie intake helps regulate your energy balance—crucial for weight management.

Understanding Calorie Balance

• Caloric Intake vs. Caloric Expenditure: Your body requires a certain number of calories to function. Consuming more calories than your body burns leads to weight gain, while consuming fewer results in weight loss.

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How to Start Counting Calories

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Determine Your Caloric Needs: Use a Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) calculator to estimate the number of calories your body needs at rest. Then, factor in your activity level to find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
2. Set Your Calorie Goals: Depending on your goals, you might want to create a calorie deficit for weight loss or a surplus for muscle gain. A common strategy is to adjust your daily intake by 500 calories to lose or gain about one pound per week.
3. Track Your Intake: Use apps like MyFitnessPal or Lose It! to log food and drink intake. These tools often come with vast databases, making it easy to track what you eat.
4. Use a Macro Calculator: Consider not just calories but also macronutrient balance. Use a macro calculator to determine the right mix of protein, carbs, and fats for your goals.
5. Once you have your Macros, use a Macro Meal Planner to build your weekly meal plans.

The Math Behind Calorie Counting: Understanding Energy Balance

Calorie counting is fundamentally about energy balance—maintaining a relationship between the calories you consume and the calories you burn. This balance determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain weight. Let’s dive into the math behind calorie counting to understand how it works.

1. Calculating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

What is BMR?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to perform basic life-sustaining functions, such as breathing, circulation, cell production, and nutrient processing, while at rest. BMR accounts for the largest portion of your daily calorie expenditure.

How to Calculate BMR:
BMR can be estimated using the Harris-Benedict equation, which considers factors like age, sex, weight, and height.

• For Men:BMR=88.362+(13.397×weight in kg)+(4.799×height in cm)−(5.677×age in years)BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 \times \text{weight in kg}) + (4.799 \times \text{height in cm}) - (5.677 \times \text{age in years})BMR=88.362+(13.397×weight in kg)+(4.799×height in cm)−(5.677×age in years)
• For Women:BMR=447.593+(9.247×weight in kg)+(3.098×height in cm)−(4.330×age in years)BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 \times \text{weight in kg}) + (3.098 \times \text{height in cm}) - (4.330 \times \text{age in years})BMR=447.593+(9.247×weight in kg)+(3.098×height in cm)−(4.330×age in years)

Example Calculation:
A 30-year-old woman weighing 70 kg and standing 165 cm tall would have her BMR calculated as follows:BMR=447.593+(9.247×70)+(3.098×165)−(4.330×30)BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 \times 70) + (3.098 \times 165) - (4.330 \times 30)BMR=447.593+(9.247×70)+(3.098×165)−(4.330×30) BMR=447.593+647.29+511.17−129.9=1476.153 calories/dayBMR = 447.593 + 647.29 + 511.17 - 129.9 = 1476.153 \text{ calories/day}BMR=447.593+647.29+511.17−129.9=1476.153 calories/day

This BMR value represents the calories she would burn in a day if she were at rest.

2. Calculating Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories you burn in a day, accounting for all activities. TDEE includes BMR and calories burned through physical activity, digestion, and other daily tasks.

How to Calculate TDEE:
TDEE is determined by multiplying your BMR by an activity factor that reflects your lifestyle:

• Sedentary (little to no exercise): BMR × 1.2
• Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): BMR × 1.375
• Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): BMR × 1.55
• Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): BMR × 1.725
• Extra active (very hard exercise, physical job, or training twice a day): BMR × 1.9

Example Calculation:
Using the BMR calculated above (1476.153 calories/day), if the woman is moderately active:TDEE=1476.153×1.55=2287.038 calories/dayTDEE = 1476.153 \times 1.55 = 2287.038 \text{ calories/day}TDEE=1476.153×1.55=2287.038 calories/day

This means she needs approximately 2287 calories per day to maintain her current weight.

3. Creating a Caloric Deficit or Surplus

To achieve weight loss or gain, you need to adjust your calorie intake relative to your TDEE:

• Weight Loss: Create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your TDEE. A common strategy is to reduce daily intake by 500 calories, leading to a weight loss of about 1 pound per week (since 1 pound of body weight is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories).
• Weight Gain: Create a calorie surplus by consuming more calories than your TDEE. Adding 500 calories per day can lead to a weight gain of about 1 pound per week.

Example for Weight Loss:
If the woman with a TDEE of 2287 wants to lose weight, she could aim for a daily intake of around 1787 calories:TDEE−500 calories=1787 calories/dayTDEE - 500 \text{ calories} = 1787 \text{ calories/day}TDEE−500 calories=1787 calories/day

4. Tracking Macros Alongside Calories

Why Track Macros?
Calories come from three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Each has a specific role in the body:

• Protein: 4 calories per gram, crucial for muscle repair and growth.
• Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram, the primary energy source.
• Fats: 9 calories per gram, essential for hormone production and nutrient absorption.

Macro Ratios:
A balanced diet typically follows a ratio, such as:

• 40% carbohydrates
• 30% protein
• 30% fat

Using a Macro Calculator:
To tailor your diet to your specific needs, use a macro calculator to find the right balance of macronutrients.

Understanding the math behind calorie counting helps you make informed dietary choices. By calculating your BMR and TDEE, and adjusting your caloric intake, you can effectively manage your weight. Whether you're aiming to lose, maintain, or gain weight, counting calories provides a structured approach to achieving your health goals.

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Benefits of Counting Calories

Weight Management

Calorie counting provides a clear picture of your eating habits, helping you make adjustments as needed to meet your weight goals. By knowing exactly what you're consuming, you can make informed choices that align with your objectives.

Nutritional Awareness

Tracking calories helps you understand the nutritional content of foods, encouraging healthier eating habits. It highlights the importance of nutrient-dense foods, promoting overall well-being.

Control Over Diet

With calorie counting, you gain control over your diet, allowing for flexibility and informed decision-making. You can enjoy occasional indulgences without derailing your progress, as long as you stay within your calorie limits.

Explore more on making healthier food choices in our article on Mindful Eating: How to Make Better Food Choices.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overestimating Exercise Calories Burned

A common mistake is overestimating the number of calories burned through exercise, leading to overconsumption of food. Exercise does increase calorie expenditure, but not as significantly as many people believe.

Underestimating Portion Sizes

Accurate portion control is crucial. Many people unintentionally consume more calories by underestimating portion sizes. Using measuring cups and food scales can help ensure accuracy.

Ignoring Snacks and Beverages

Snacks and beverages can contain significant calories. It's easy to overlook the caloric content of coffee, soft drinks, or a quick snack, which can add up and affect your overall calorie count.

Learn more about avoiding these pitfalls with our guide on Portion Control Tips for Beginners.

Tips for Successful Calorie Counting

Consistency is Key

Regular tracking is crucial for success. Make it a habit to log your meals immediately after eating to avoid forgetting or underestimating your intake.

Be Honest with Your Tracking

Honesty is vital. Record everything you consume, including small bites, tastes, and drinks, to get an accurate picture of your calorie intake.

Plan Ahead

Planning meals and snacks in advance helps you stay within your calorie limits. Consider meal prepping to make healthy eating easier and more convenient.

Stay Flexible

Calorie counting should not feel overly restrictive. Allow for flexibility by making room for occasional treats or indulgences. It's about balance and sustainability.

Discover how meal planning can support your calorie counting efforts in our article on Meal Planning Tips for Beginners.

Alternatives to Calorie Counting

Intuitive Eating

This approach focuses on listening to your body's hunger and fullness cues rather than counting calories. It's about eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're satisfied.

Portion Control

Instead of counting every calorie, some people find success by controlling portion sizes and eating balanced meals. This method reduces the need for constant tracking while still promoting healthy eating.

Mindful Eating

Mindful eating encourages being present during meals, paying attention to flavors, textures, and hunger cues. This practice can lead to a more satisfying eating experience and better portion control.

Explore different approaches to eating with our guide on What is Intuitive Eating?.

Conclusion

Counting calories can be an effective tool for managing your diet and achieving your health goals. By understanding how many calories you consume and burn, you can make informed decisions that support your well-being. Whether you choose to count calories or explore alternatives like intuitive eating or mindful eating, the key is finding a sustainable approach that fits your lifestyle.

Ready to take control of your diet? Start counting calories today or explore our other guides to find the right approach for you.

Share your experience with calorie counting or your favorite tips in the comments below!

It goes by a few names: Yo-yo dieting. Weight cycling. Crash dieting. But they all mean the same thing. It is the typical dieting sequence that happens throughout the calendar year for so many. And it never works. The problem is not just that the cycling effect is demoralizing, but that there is a very real problem of what this weight loss-weight gain does to our metabolic system. It alters our metabolism, making the weight harder to lose each time we rebound diet. And more bad news-frequently we have even MORE weight to lose than before. Why is this?

Studies have shown that cycling through times of extreme weight loss/gain increases metabolic hormones (insulin) and also sex hormone (estrogen) that not only puts on more unwanted weight, but also has far more drastic health consequences such as high blood pressure linked to heart disease, and insulin resistance linked to diabetes. All things no one wants to play around with! But what is the answer? How can the cycle be broken?

The first one is not new advice on this website:

Stop dieting.

That’s right you heard it here. Just stop it! We here at MPOF are about LIFESTYLE changing, not dieting. We have said it before, dieting is just plain hard work. Dieting is drudgery. It takes so much effort and the rewards are temporary or worse, non-existent. In fact, as we stated before, you might be in a more daunting situation because of it. Never start a diet again.

Get educated.

Become your own nutritional expert. There is so much information on this website (and the internet!) about nutrition that there is no reason why, with a little effort, you can’t become quite knowledgeable about what to eat and when to maximize your efforts to stabilize your metabolism and lose weight at a steady and sane pace.

Make a lifestyle change.

Do not consider a trimmer you to be a temporary goal. Consider it to be the “new you”-all the time! Once you are educated on what to eat, resolve to eat that way a majority of your life; at least 80% of your life. If you are staying the course 80% or the time, there is room for error and you don’t then need to berate yourself for having a little splurge now and then. Or temporarily “going off the rails” as all we humans tend to do from time to time.

Set a new goal.

There will always be those occasions that you want to fit into some special outfit or look good in shorts or whatever it is for you, but no longer make those short-range desires be your goal. You want your goal to be a fully orbed healthier you. Start with what you are eating daily and then move onto exercise.

Start simply.

You don’t have to be a complete expert all at once. If you have been weight cycling (like the majority of the western world) likely your confidence has taken a hit and that can tempt you to give up before you have barely begun. Don’t put that pressure on yourself! Learn what you need to do and enjoy the process.

Track your progress.

Nothing motivates us to push forward more than seeing progress. So don’t deny yourself that pleasure. But, on the other hand, don’t obsess about small setbacks to your onward progression. By tracking your progress, you allow yourself grace to see where you need to adjust and roll with it, realizing life has its ups as well as its downs.

Meal Prep.

One of the best ways to keep yourself in control of your food intake is in meal prepping. No surprise that a website called “Meal Prep On Fleek” would be endorsing this course of action, eh? If you are new to meal prep, this is an excellent place to start to introduce you to this easy concept. Not only will meal prepping help you to be in charge of eating in a healthy way, but it will also help you come to understand portion control as well, which is key.

Do yourself a favor and resolve to never diet again.

Make this year a year to make a resolution to change your lifestyle instead. Start yourself on the road to a healthier way of living. We would love to be a part of your journey and we have many ideas, recipes, and articles to help you on your way!

It is the primary goal of many to follow a diet, such as the low-carb diet, which supposedly assists in how to live a healthy lifestyle. However, many people do not get the results they anticipate because they are making a few simple but big mistakes! These mistakes prevent them from achieving the success they desire when adhering to the low carb diet. We’re gonna have a look at 5 low-carb diet biggest mistakes! 

1. Consequences Of A High Carb Diet

Generally, a low-carb diet is considered to be anything under 100 to 150 grams daily, as there is no strict type of low-carb diet. Consuming real foods as opposed to processed foods make a significant difference in results! A low-carb diet is beneficial in curbing diabetes and weight gain thus avoiding the negative consequences of a high carb diet.

Yet, many are guilty of having fond feelings towards the foods which taste good as opposed to the foods which do their bodies right. An occasional sinful indulgence shouldn’t hurt too much but continuous indulgences negatively impact how to live a healthy lifestyle. High carbohydrate foods include cakes, candies, bread, cereals, and pasta.

2. Consuming A High Protein Diet

Is consuming high amounts of protein a bad thing? How can too much protein be bad for you when protein is the essential building block of muscle tissue? Protein is also required for providing the body with fuel for energy! Yet low-carb dieters often overdo it when they consume animal-based proteins.

This, in turn, causes the body to convert the excess protein into glucose. I’m sure you’re getting the picture already. The weight loss experienced would be temporary if proteins are consumed in high amounts. If one continues to eat high amounts of lean animal proteins, one will soon notice increased weight instead of the reverse.

3. Low-fat Consumption Risks

Many people think that fat is all bad. This is a big mistake, especially if you’re on a low-carb diet! You’re already cutting off the excess carbs, you’re gonna need the fats to balance things out. Otherwise, you’ll end up malnourished and suffer from deficiency ailments. Be mindful of the symptoms of unhealthy trans fats which could lead to:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Increased ‘bad’ cholesterol
• Stroke

Avoid unhealthy trans fats and use monounsaturated and omega 3 fats instead. While on a low-carb diet, it is advisable to consume at least 70% healthy fats. Of course, to achieve this you would have to add foods which contain healthy fats to your meals such as avocado. Remember on a low-carb diet, fats provide the energy you require.

4. Lack Of Sodium - Symptoms

Low insulin levels fuel the mechanisms that make low-carb dieting possible. While on a low carb diet, insulin levels drop while excess water and sodium are removed from the body. This is awesome for relieving bloating within a few days!

However, bear in mind that sodium is a useful electrolyte. It is necessary for maintaining the fluid balance within your body and nerve and muscle function. If sodium levels are extremely too low, this may result in mild to severe symptoms, such as:

• Constipation
• Headaches
• Muscle cramps
• Light-headedness  
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Shock
• Fatigue 
• Dizziness
• Coma
• Death

5. Ultra Low-carb Diet - Cause And Side Effects

The fact is your body is designed to burn carbs for energy. When you drastically reduce carbs, fats are then converted to your body’s energy source. This fat can be obtained from your diet or your body’s stored fat. As a result, while your body adjusts to accommodate your change to a low-carb diet you may experience the ‘keto flu’.

This ‘keto flu’ will have you feeling under the weather at the beginning of your low-carb diet. You may experience symptoms such as:

• Irritability
• Cramping
• Headaches
• Brain fog
• Constipation
• Dizziness

Your body will do its first set of adjustments within a four day period. It will take several weeks for your body to fully adjust to your new diet. Don’t allow yourself to give in and abandon your low-carb diet.

Sacrificing the carbs which aren’t good for you simply spares you from experiencing obesity, diabetes and all the other related ailments associated. Ensure you supplement your diet properly and you shall surely see the benefits of a low-carb diet.

Are you currently on a low-carb diet? Let us know about the benefits you’ve experienced so far!

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) has long been a source of concern (and discomfort!) for women the world over for centuries. For some, it is a dreaded time that is expected a week or two before getting their period, and for others it is just a mild annoyance to be endured. Either way you might be experiencing it, the good news is, that there are things that you can do to alter your diet that can help relieve some of these problems and possibly it is all you need to do to eliminate them from your life. And who wouldn’t want that?!

What are PMS symptoms?

PMS symptoms can run the gamut of severe symptoms that cause you to have to miss out on life until they subside, to very mild and barely noticeable. Studies have shown that the great majority of sufferers claim that they have at least some feeling of bloating, excessive moodiness, and a range of headaches-mild to severe.

Other symptoms might include menstrual cramping, joint pain, tender/swollen breasts, and general fatigue. A typical and popular way of handling these problems is by taking the conventional medical approach in trying to eradicate temporarily the discomforts of PMS. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Ibuprofen are popular as are pain relievers like Acetaminophen.

However, relying on these symptom maskers can, over time, wreak havoc on your gastrointestinal walls and cause liver damage. Although they do alleviate your problems for a time, the next month you are back in the same situation again only to have to repeat the course and potentially do more damage. But this doesn’t have to be the only choice. There are great ways to manage PMS through a variety of good dietary choices.

Related: Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: Are you too ‘healthy’ to have a menstrual cycle?

Diet can effect PMS severity.

Your hormones are the culprit and the determining factor in the severity of your symptoms. And those hormone changes have an effect on your digestion that tends to have you craving some of the very foods that will exacerbate the problems of PMS long term.

What do the great majority of PMS sufferers crave?

Sugary, fatty, and salty foods which might give some temporary pleasure, but will prolong the agony in the long run. How? Salt has a tendency to make water retention worse. Swelling of the hands and feet, bloating, and breast tenderness is all symptoms stemming from water retention.

Another typical symptom around this time is having loose bowel movements and high-sugar, high-fat foods can increase this problem. Even artificial sweeteners should be avoided because those can overstress the colon and can lead to increased cramping.

What foods to embrace.

• Foods high in calcium have been known to help with cramping-but not too much. It is also known to cause constipation if used excessively. Foods that are high in calcium include but are not limited to dairy, sunflower seeds, spinach, black-eyed peas, almonds, figs, white beans, kale, tofu, and sardines.
• Foods with a high water content is a wonderful, natural diuretic and are helpful when battling with water retention and bloating. Of course, keeping your water intake up during this time helps as well. Sipping on hot, green tea is soothing as well as beneficial. Here are some high water content choices: watermelon, grapefruit, celery, strawberry, cucumber, iceburg lettuce, melons, and tomato.
• Foods with Omega-3 fat contain anti-inflammatory fatty acids that help curb menstrual pain. Here is what to look for in this category: Flaxseed, Chia seeds, salmon, oysters, walnuts, and soybeans.
• Look for foods high in B vitamins which have been found to relieve cramping symptoms. Look to add more poultry, beans, lamb, liver, grass-fed beef, feta cheese, and eggs.

Related: Dehydration: What Is It and How to Avoid It

What foods to avoid

• Caffeine is very dehydrating which is the opposite of what you want.
• Alcohol has been known to worsen cramping.
• Salt
• Sugar/high fructose corn syrup
• Bad fats (trans and hydrogenated)
• Foods that are allergens for you. These should always be avoided.

As you can see, the foods that will help you most in diminishing severe PMS are essentially the same ones that will keep you fit and healthy throughout. But a slip now and then is only to be human. No need to beat yourself up for it. A little dark chocolate now and again can be good for the psychological symptoms. What have you found that works best for you? We’d like to hear about it.

What is histamine?

Histamine is a naturally occurring chemical in the body whose main role is to help your body get rid of allergens. It also plays an essential role in the body’s inflammatory response and defense system, functions as a neurotransmitter (brain chemical messenger) and plays an important part in gut health. When histamine is released, it causes inflammation to alert the body of potential pathogens, allergens, etc. so white blood cells can accumulate in the affected area for healing. We also need histamine in order to digest food, move our bowels, boost exercise performance, increase attention, and get blood as well as nutrients and oxygen delivered to different parts of the body.

What is histamine intolerance?

When this pathway occurs as it is designed to, the body releases histamine, then as the pathogens are taken care of by the immune system, our histamine and inflammation levels go back down to homeostasis. The problem occurs when the body doesn’t have the capability to break down an elevated amount of histamine, and it begins to build up in the body. When your histamine levels increase, your tolerance to histamine triggers decreases. When histamine levels in the body stay high for an extended amount of time because the body cannot break down the histamine, this can result in histamine intolerance. Unlike a food sensitivity, histamine intolerance means that too much of the chemical has built up in the body, and/or the body cannot break it down properly. At this point, histamine can cause a wide variety of symptoms, and these symptoms can vary depending on where it is released in the body. 

In a healthy body, histamine is broken down within the body by the enzymes DAO (diamine oxidase - in the digestive system) and HNMT (histamine N-methyltransferase - in the spine, kidneys, liver, lungs, etc.). With histamine intolerance, there could either be a genetic or a simple impairment in either or both of the enzymes responsible for the histamine breakdown leading - to histamine build-up and a cascade of other unwanted symptoms.

Histamine receptors are all over the body, in the immune system, the stomach, the brain, and the bone marrow and white blood cells - so histamine intolerance presents in a multitude of allergy-related responses and symptoms, like:

• Congestion or runny nose
• Headaches or migraines
• Hives
• Flushing
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Eczema/psoriasis
• Edema or tissue swelling
• Digestive issues
• Abnormal menstrual cycle
• Irregular heartbeat (tachycardia)
• Dizziness or vertigo

Related: Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: Are you too ‘healthy’ to have a menstrual cycle?

What causes high histamine levels?

Histamine levels increase in the body resulting from high histamine or histamine liberating foods in the diet, consuming alcohol or caffeine, hormonal imbalances, or nutritional deficiencies. Allergies and allergic reactions can also contribute to a release of more histamine (and high histamine levels contribute to even more allergy-type symptoms.) Environmental factors like exposure to allergens, toxic home and personal care products, mercury amalgams, exposure to smoke or mold, can also trigger a histamine response. Having high histamine levels in the body is similar to being in a chronic inflammatory state, which is why many people with histamine intolerance feel like their symptoms exponentially get worse if left unchecked. 

Stress is also a major trigger for histamine in the body. Every time cortisol is released in response to stress, the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) branch of the nervous system is activated, increasing mast cells - which leads to histamine being released into the bloodstream. While histamine is an inflammatory agent, and cortisol is an anti-inflammatory agent produced in response to inflammation, the adrenals now start to work in overdrive to produce more cortisol, leading back to the beginning of this vicious cycle. 

What can cause histamine intolerance?

While these factors cause the release of histamine in the body and a lack of DAO and HMNT can contribute to the buildup of histamine, there is always a deeper cause at the root of histamine intolerance that cannot be treated with diet, supplements, and stress management alone. 

Some of the most common root causes of histamine intolerance: 

• Gut dysbiosis & intestinal permeability
• Gut infections (SIBO, H.Pylori, Candida, parasites, etc.)
• Mast cell activation syndrome
• Genetic mutations
• Certain medications that interfere with the production of DAO or HNMT (antiacids, antibiotics, and antihistamines can inhibit DAO enzyme activity, and increase histamine production)
• Gluten intolerance or celiac disease
• Inflammatory Digestive Disease (Crohn's, colitis, celiac)

So what can you do about it?

If you suspect you may have histamine intolerance, it’s necessary to work with a qualified practitioner who can help you do some testing to get to the root of where your symptoms are coming from and help you get them under control with a targeted protocol. Histamine intolerance and mast cell activation syndrome are extremely complicated and have many more factors at play than could be covered in the scope of this article. To learn more about a low histamine diet protocol that may help manage your symptoms in addition to your work with a qualified healthcare practitioner, click here.

More histamine intolerance resources:

• The 4-Phase Histamine Reset, Dr. Becky Campbell 
• Dr. Becky Campbell - Histamine Intolerance Specialist 
• Dr. Amy Burkhart - Histamine Intolerance
• Dr. Beth O’Hara - Mast Cell 360
• Dana Monsees, MS, CNS, LDN
• Maintz L, Novak N. Histamine and histamine intolerance. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85(5):1185-1196. [Full Text]

Healthy eating practices are important to have in any stage of life, but they can be particularly tricky to formulate now in your teen years. If the foundation has only been loosely laid in childhood, consider it to be even more complicated. There are certain things to keep in mind, dear teenager when talking about optimizing a healthy lifestyle and eating for the benefit of years to come. During this time, you are starting to make more and more independent decisions, so you will definitely want to have a good idea of the goals you are shooting for.

Why is healthy eating important in adolescence?

This is an exciting time in life! And also a period when so many things are going on in your body; much is changing. Not only is there a tremendous change in hormone levels, but it is also a prime time for growth spurts. These growth spurts are generally accompanied by an increase in appetite. It is commonly a time of raiding your parent’s refrigerator! Therefore, it is much more important that the extra calories that are taken in are ones that are the most valuable to the kind of growth and development that will keep you flourishing into adulthood.

It is imperative that there is an increasing effort to have at least 2 servings of fruit and up to 5 servings of vegetables to boost your immune system and for healthy skin (a big concern, admit it!) and eyes. Dairy should be 3 ½  servings a day to keep bones and teeth strong. It is also essential for a fit heart, strong muscles, and nerves. Protein (mostly found in fish, meat, legumes, eggs, and nuts) is indispensable to keep iron levels on fleek. It is common for iron to be low once puberty sets in. Menstruation in girls, more often than not, make iron go low and is the chief cause of anemia. And guys need iron and protein sources to help them build muscle. Iron also helps to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen, to flow well to all vital organs. And we can’t forget a good amount of carbs at each meal to keep up the energy of your ever-increasing active lifestyle. But it should be noted that active is the key word when it comes to carbohydrates. The more active you are, the more carbs your diet should include. Vice versa is true as well- if you tend to be closer to the “couch potato” end of the spectrum, you should restrict your carbs more. As you can see, limiting empty calories is the name of the game! But winning in that game, requires you to be aware and understand some of the unique challenges.

Common pitfalls to optimal teen nutrition

One thing to keep in mind is that it might be more challenging to monitor decent eating because, typically, more hours are spent away from home now with more time hanging out with your peeps. It helps to remember that companions can have a good influence or a bad one; they can help or hinder. When together with friends, most teens say that they tend to consume higher amounts of fast food and soft drinks. Dieting is often a main focus at this stage of life. Dieting for a particular sport (like making a specific weight class in wrestling, for example) or for a special social event, is common. Your peer group also has a reputation of pressuring towards diet extremes, which can cause missed essential nutrients at best, or lead to disturbing eating disorders, at worse (but that is beyond the scope of our subject here). Like-minded buddies can also be some of the best support for sane eating, which is what we all hope for!

If you are normal, you are constantly busy and on-the-run a great majority of the time. The sheer convenience of meals is important to most teenagers. This sometimes lends itself to a temptation to eat more processed food if nothing else is available. As you know, processed “convenience” foods are loaded with worthless calories and should not be on your parent’s grocery list. You will want to request that the food choices in your home be ones that have a healthful focus as well as being as easily accessible as most “convenience foods”.

Some helpful suggestions

Now that we know the importance of good food alternatives AND some of the nutritional pitfalls the average teen encounters, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Do not buy or bring into your home foods that you know you want to avoid. Another words, do not buy processed, expedient, or “junk food”. Ask your parents to help you by not buying these foods either.
• As you are hastening towards adulthood, you will want to be a part of the nutritional decision making at home. Wherever possible, give your parents suggestions of what you would like to eat.
• Take a stab at trying some different healthful foods that you may never have ventured into before.
• Take the initiative in finding out as much about nutrition on your own as possible. There is a much greater chance of success the more you know and plan yourself. Isn’t it that way for all of us?
• As your interest grows, help with meal prepping wholesome meals and snacks. Take the lead!
• Make sure you have good, quality snack foods available that are convenient for on-the-go snacking.
• Avoid eating in front of the TV where the “mindless” eating/snacking habit will tend to form. Instead, eat together with your family most of the time and whenever possible. Your family will LOVE you for it!

The teen years are a challenging time; no doubt about it. But keeping some of these tips in mind will help, we trust, in giving you a head start in thinking about a nutritionally focused lifestyle of meals and snacking. Just some food for thought (pun intended!) as you venture through the journey of your teen years towards impending adulthood. Your future self will thank you!!

More health resources for teens:

• Fitness For Teens: The Unexpected Benefits
• Foods to Avoid for College Athletes
• How to Eat Healthy as a Teen
• 23 Best College Dorm Recipes
• How to Train Yourself to Wake Up Early
• 10 Easy Recipes for Busy Moms (give your mom some ideas)

If you think back to your parent’s diet a few decades ago, do you remember that people in the process of losing weight mostly had in mind calorie restriction as the method of choice to lose the fat they wanted to shed? The mindset was, if you had a diet with super low-calorie intake (the lower the better!), you could shed those pounds fast (please-like yesterday!)! It was common to believe back then that dramatically reducing your caloric intake would surely put fat loss on a fast track.

But was that true?

Or could it be that taking in fewer calories than you actually need to every day could be completely sabotaging your efforts and making you ultimately gain weight in the long run? 

According to this article, Kimberly Lummus, MS, RD, Texas Dietetic Association media representative and public relations coordinator at the Austin Dietetic Association in Austin, says, "[Seems like] It would make sense to stop eating [when you are trying to lose weight], but it actually works in the opposite way.”

So, which is it?

The answer to the question in our title is, yes. Eating an extremely low-calorie diet on a long term basis COULD have a boomerang effect and keep you from losing the weight that you desire.

And here is why...

What is a Calorie and Why Do We Need a Certain Amount Daily?

Calories are necessary to your body’s basic functioning and not just for weight control. Here’s why (brace yourself, we’re getting nerdy):

A calorie is a measurement, really; a unit of measure of energy that your body gets from the food and drink that you ingest each day. Basically, your body requires a certain amount in calories (based on your height, weight, gender, and age) in order to sustain three important processes in your body:

 

1. Digestion-a body needs calories to do what is known as the Thermic Effect of digestion. Calories are required to digest and metabolize your food.
2. Physical Activity-calories give the fuel to perform all of your daily physical demands.
3. Basal Metabolic Rate(BMR)-a certain number of calories are needed to keep all of the major organs and systems of your body running efficiently.

 

What is the Risk of Insufficient Calories on a Consistent Basis?

If you’re not eating enough calories every day, there are many health problems that can result, but for the sake of this article, we are focusing only on how it can affect fat loss. You can read more about other risks here.

Here are some of the things that make eating low-calorie diets on the regular counter-productive in achieving weight loss goals:

 

It lowers metabolism rate. 

Some studies show that metabolism, which is how effectively your body burns the calories it takes in as energy, is lowered by as much as 23%. And, ultimately, the effects of a lowered metabolism have been found to continue even after the calorie-impoverished diet has been stopped, causing as much as 80% of people to put weight back on - and then some. Muscle loss can be the culprit here. Especially if the calories that are consumed are not found in protein.

To prevent muscle loss and a lowered metabolism rate, make sure that you are taking in enough calories to cover the minimum needs for your own personal BMR. Find out what your personal BMR should be, here on our Macro Calculator. Make sure that the calories that you take in, are balanced, and you are calculating your macros properly. See MPOF’s macro calculator here. Throwing in some good resistance exercise for good measure can’t hurt either. (wink, wink)

 

Calorie-restricted diets can put your body into starvation mode. 

As your metabolism slows to a crawl, your body is trying to conserve it’s energy by burning calories as slowly as possible and storing them as fat. When you see that you are storing fat like crazy and see that all your dieting is not paying off at all, what do you (and most people in this same situation) typically do? You get discouraged and frustrated, which then leads to bingeing and overeating. It’s a vicious cycle that we’re trying to help you avoid!

It is so hard to sustain cutting calories and eating too little. What typically happens is that the person will go in the opposite direction; they will just become too hungry and go into a bingeing mode," says Lummus. "Because you are getting frustrated by not seeing any weight loss, you just sort of throw in the towel."    

 

Making Peace With Calories

Calories are not your enemy. In fact, they are a requisite part of leading a healthy and energetic life. "Your body needs a certain amount of calories just to sustain proper function," says Lummus. Read more about this here.

Novelty diets that cut out too many calories will leave you ready to give up and feeling drowsy. You won’t have enough energy to make it through the day. Chances are, you’re probably feeling that way already. =( It’s time to take back control of your food choices.

Instead of opting for this old, tired, and “yo-yo” way of eating, think of it as a permanent lifestyle change with tasty food and adequate calories that allows you to lose fat slowly at a few pounds per week. There is more evidence that those who do not diet, but make a lifestyle change instead, have the best chance of keeping and maintaining their ideal weight. Lose consistently by making protein rich nutrition choices, by not overeating, and exercising. Make a plan to merge these healthful habits that you will be able to stick to indefinitely. And always, always, allow yourself a little wiggle room for special occasions. 

 

                                     

Sleep, Wonderful, Sleep!

Why is sleep so awesome and how do I get more of it?

Isn't sleep amazing? It is the time of day that anyone over 15 generally looks forward to. It is obvious that we feel better when we do it. We inherently know that it has a restorative quality to it that we all need. There is nothing like falling into bed after a busy day and then waking up refreshed; not tired anymore. When you have had a good night's sleep it is as if your brain works better and you are ready to focus on the tasks at hand.

Studies show that sleep actively helps memory. It is controversial as to whether it really helps to pull that “all-nighter” before the college final. Did it really help to go to that 8:00 AM exam exhausted? I don’t think so! It seems that the data shows that you can focus easier and facts will be recalled better if you get a good night’s rest.

Likewise, overall health can be affected for better or for worse by sleep. 

Bad news first. There are more, but here are some reasons:

• Greater risk for Type 2 Diabetes - Sleeping less than 6 hours a night has repeatedly been shown to put people at greater risk of insulin resistance and developing type 2 diabetes.
• Mental Health - Mental health issues are strongly related to poor sleep, especially if there is a sleep disorder like insomnia or sleep apnea involved. Did you know that 90% of people that struggle with depression also complain of difficulty with their sleep?
• Immune deficiency - It might be no surprise that a person is 3x more susceptible to becoming ill by not sleeping well. There is evidence that during those times the immune system is weakened making one a prime target during cold and flu season.
• Obesity - There are strong links found between short sleep duration and poor success in weight loss. In fact, not getting enough sleep is one of the biggest risk factors for obesity. There seem to be numerous links from lack of motivation for exercise, to hormone interference.
• Increased inflammation - Poor sleep has been linked to increased inflammation in the digestive tract and inflammatory bowel diseases. For those that suffer from chronic digestive diseases (for example, Crohn’s disease) sleep loss has been linked to more frequent relapses.  Here are 10 foods that fight inflammation

There is good news too:

One of the most important jobs of sleep is to help us sort out and consolidate memories. All throughout our day, our brains take in mega amounts of information. We don’t always conscientiously even realize all that we are taking in; there is way too much! Facts we learned and the things we experience in the daytime need to be processed and stored in the correct parts of our brains. Much of this is done at night while we sleep. 

We don’t even realize it, but our sleep allows the bits and pieces of information that we have collected throughout our waking hours to be transferred from our short-term memories to our more permanent long-term memory banks. This is a process called “consolidation”. Consolidation is one of the main reasons why after a good sleep that people are more likely to retain information. 

We can not underestimate the incredible restorative effects of sleep. They are so obvious; you can tell that you feel good, focus better, and you aren’t tired all the time. Long, restful, uninterrupted sleep allows our bodies to rejuvenate, synthesize hormones, repair tissue, and even grow muscle. No wonder sleep is so awesome!!

Want to achieve 100% sleep quality, like we did? Keep reading!

What is a perfect night's sleep?

You may be asking yourself this very question. We know that sleep is awesome, but what constitutes that perfect night of sleep? Is it the time of day when your body and brain just shuts down? Well, no, as we have already said, your brain is actually very active and proactive in getting you ready for the next day. It is actually working and overseeing all the functions of your resting body. So you need to give yourself enough hours of sleep in order to give the time your brain needs to do its amazing work. 

Imagine your sleep for yourself like the maintenance you do for your car. You know if you skimp on regular oil changes on your car (if you can follow my analogy here), you will be headed for a mechanical breakdown in the near future. So it is with sleep. It surely is not something that you want to cut corners on.

So while the number of hours you spend sleeping are important, so is the quality of those hours. It is possible to get enough sleep timewise, but somehow the time doesn’t follow through the stages of the sleep cycle so that you are still waking up tired and not refreshed. If you find you are sleeping a good 8 hours, but are not waking up feeling well, it might be time to consult your physician as to why that might be.

As we go nighty-night, we differ in the number of different stages of sleep and each one is important in its own right. NREM is important for restoring and repairing our bodies and building up energy for the day ahead. REM sleep, which stands for Rapid Eye Movement, is during our dreaming phase where most of the work on our minds and memory categorizing takes place. To ensure that you get more and better sleep, you should avoid getting woken up in the middle of the night by noise or light. That’s right, don’t bring your cell phone to bed with you!! Alcohol consumption and also nicotine has been known to be sleep stealers as well. To learn more about the science of sleep, see here.

Are there different types of sleep?

There are only 2 different types of sleep, but at least 4 different stages. A cycle of these stages lasts typically 90-120 minutes. Three of those stages are NREM (non-rapid eye movement) with one stage of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep in each cycle. 

Most people start a sleep cycle with a short period of stage one (NREM-1) which is generally characterized by slower eye movements at the beginning and the body is beginning to relax. This is obviously the easiest stage in which to rouse a person.

Stage two, (NREM-2) comes next and is usually the longest stage of sleep, compromising approximately 40-60% of a good night's sleep. As we progress further into the night, stage three (NREM-3) resumes. Although it is a longer stage in children and adolescents, it compromises only 5-15% in most adults. 

The final stage in the cycle is REM sleep. Our eyes dart back and forth very quickly. We dream the most during this stage while the brain is reviewing the day and consolidating and compartmentalizing all the memories. Interestingly, paralysis of muscles frequently comes with the REM stage and it is believed that it occurs as protection from a person acting out their dreams.

As the night continues, there should be about 4-5 of these cycles with intermittent lengths and stages. As night turns into dawn, there will usually be a lengthening of NREM and a shortening of REM stages. Generally, REM sleep is shorter earlier on in the night lengthening with the longest REM stage being shortly before wakening. 

How can you get better sleep?

Structuring a great sleep routine and following a few helpful suggestions should help in getting you that better night’s sleep if you have struggled in the past. It might seem almost impossible when you are staring at the ceiling at 2:30 AM in frustration. Maybe you could try a few of these ideas:

1. This should be the first thing that you do when thinking about how to get better sleep. Evaluate your sleeping props. Do you have a comfortable mattress? Is your pillow decent? Do you have sheets with a high enough thread count that make you just want crawl right in? If not, these are the first things to remedy before anything else. None of the following suggestions will mean anything if you don’t have a comfy bed to sleep in.
2. Don’t drink alcohol (or caffeine) right before bedtime. While this may seem contradictory (because everyone knows that drinking a beer or glass of wine can help make a person drowsy), drinking alcohol right before bed can actually cause you to have poor quality sleep. It may get you to sleep faster, but the sleep you get will not be as good, had you not imbibed. Alcohol is a depressant and many use it to fall asleep but it can actually block REM sleep which is the most restorative type of sleep. You will not wake up refreshed and focused if you get less REM sleep. Similarly, but opposite, caffeine is a stimulant and will have you staring at the ceiling not able to fall asleep. Both these things, alcohol and caffeine are definite avoiders.
3. Exercise Earlier in the day. Exercise also makes a person tired and so it seems logical that if you exercise vigorously before bedtime, that is a great way to fall asleep. Again, this seems counter intuitive, but exercising stimulates your body to secrete the hormone, cortisol, which actually makes you more alert. Best to do this early in the morning or definitely no less than three hours before planning to crawl into bed. Try reading a little in bed to relax instead.
4. Take a nice shower or bath before sleep. Here’s one that you’ve certainly heard before!? The warmth of the water gives a slight rise to your body temperature and puts you in a relaxed state. Some studies have shown that if you don’t want a full shower, even a relaxing foot soak and hour before bed will have similar effects.
5. Give some thought to what is your perfect sleep environment and arrange your bedroom to be this place. Think about the perfect temperature, darkness, and noise level. Think about what wakes you in the middle of the night and try to eliminate that possibility. Do you have a pet that constantly wakes you in the middle of the night? Think about crate training the animal at night. Maybe white noise machines help you? Light blocking curtains? Whatever it is, make sure your boudoir is equipped with all these sleep inducing props.
6. Reduce light at night. Get all the light you can in the daytime, but when it is time to put the lights out, make sure you do. Don’t use your cellphone in bed. This is tempting for many of us, but it is sleep stealer. The light tricks us into thinking that it is not time to rest. Put your phone in a nightstand drawer or at least screen side down so notifications don’t disrupt you.
7. Don’t eat a heavy meal late at night. This should be a no-brainer, but sometimes we need to be reminded. Eat dinner several (at least 3) hours before turning in. Definitely avoid fried or heavy meals that will require a lot of digestion and cause indigestion! If you are truly hungry and must eat, try a light snack. 
8. Don’t drink a lot of water before going to bed. It is best to have hydration balanced throughout the day. You will appreciate this when your bladder doesn’t wake you up way before your alarm.
9. Set your internal clock by having a sleep/wake schedule that your body can get used to. Think of what time of day you truly get tired at and what time you need to wake up. Stick with these times as regularly as you can. Your body will get used to these consistent times and thank you!
10. Tool: Download the Sleep Cycle App so you can start to monitor your sleep patterns and get a baseline. Make small adjustments in small increments and track if they are helping or not.
11. Enlist the help of the ChiliPad! This should really be a PRO TIP! All of those other tips are free, which is great, but THIS right here has been the biggest game change. It's almost like going from dial up internet to high-speed... there is no going back

P.S. I love this thing so much that I reached out to ChiliPad to setup discount codes so you could save big if you want to order one for yourself (or your parents...you'll be their favorite kid). Here you go:

MPM25 – 25% off chiliPAD

MPM15 – 15% off OOLER

How can you get more sleep?

The idea is that you want to be able to get more deep sleep. There may be a few ways to increase the amount that a person gets each night, but really, the most important thing that a person can do is to increase the amount of overall sleep. The more sleep that you get, the more cycles of deep sleep that can fit in for the entire night. So, if you can, and you are tired enough, fit in more sleep to your schedule. 

That might mean taking a vacation or a staycation (even better!) where you can tire yourself out early on some fun, fresh air, and exercise and then have all the time you want to rest, relax and sleep! Be sure to eat well, but watch your carbohydrate intake. If there is a spa or sauna available, take advantage of that and tuck yourself in early.

If you aren’t so fortunate to be in the running for a vacation just now, there are still a few things that you can do. There are some general healthful sleep habits that may also help promote better sleep overall, like:

1. Reducing night time light in your bedroom
2. Not eating  heavy foods late at night.
3. Not using cellphones in bed.
4. Reducing stressful conversations or activities before sleep

“Pink noise” is an interesting idea to consider using at night. Pink noise is thought by many to be better than white noise for a more restful sleep. So, what is Pink Noise? It is very similar to white noise, but pink noise has less higher frequencies than white noise. It has a sound more like a steady, heavy wind or rainfall. Some people swear by it and say that it can improve our memories and focus for the next day and possibly even long term. Who knows? It might be worth a try! For more information on pink noise click over here.

So, what about naps?

To nap, or not to nap? That is the question.

This is a common question amongst sleep connoisseurs. Is a nap helpful or harmful to getting in as much sleep as possible and getting a perfect night's sleep all night long.

Hard as it is to believe, there are actually some drawbacks to napping for some people. Napping can be the cause of:

• Excessive grogginess that makes you less alert and able to perform upon waking. This is called “sleep inertia”.
• Nighttime sleep problems can occur in some people. If you are finding that you deal with insomnia or lower quality sleep when you nap, that might be an indication that you need to abstain from napping.

If you do decide to give regular napping a whirl, review some of these tips and then really study your sleep habits at night ( you have to be honest though). You might find that for you, naps should be set aside altogether or that you should try to implement a regular schedule of them ASAP.

Think about these potential benefits for healthy adults:

• Increased alertness-Naps can make you feel more awake and alert for the tasks at hand. You might find that you perform better and have fewer mistakes and accidents on the job. A study at NASA on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found that a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34% and alertness 100%.
• Improved mood-This one is not hard to see, is it? Works wonders on the attitudes of both babies and adults alike.
• Reduced fatigue-A nap can be a pleasant luxury, a mini-vacation. It can provide great psychological benefits and be an easy way to get some relaxation and rejuvenation.

Are you convinced to try it yet? You're probably already thinking about ways to incorporate naps into your daily routine. Keep in mind that unless you are sleep deprived and catching up on sleep, naps should only be 20-30 minutes for a good energy boost. If you are really needing a good nap and have the time, 90 minutes is perfect to get in a whole sleep cycle. And remember, getting enough sleep on a regular basis is the best way to be at your best. But when fatigue sets in, a quick nap can do wonders for your mental and physical stamina.

How can you wake up better and other sleep hacks, tips, and tricks

So we’ve looked at how to sleep better and maximize the benefits of our times of rest. But what about the wake-up time? There are ways of preparing ahead so that you don’t have to rely on several cups of coffee to bring us to full-alert in the morning. 

The following are some ideas and hacks that you might consider to make your transition to your day smoother:

1. No snooze button - Do they make alarms without a snooze button? Not sure, but don’t press that button! Hitting snooze is oh, so tempting, but putting your last ½ hour of sleep in fragmented sleep is not very helpful. Instead, try this hack if you want the idea of snoozing extra in the morning. Set two alarms 90 minutes apart. This way you could get another uninterrupted sleep cycle in before you actually have to get up.
2. Splash some cold water - Unless you want to take a cold shower, a splash in the face will do to give your body a jolt that there is a change in body temperature and time to get up. If a walk to the bathroom sink sounds like too much at first, you could always keep a mister on your nightstand to mist your face instead.
3. Drink some water - Now that you have hydrated your face, hydrate your body by taking in some water to help refresh yourself after a long night without drinking anything.
4. Stretch and exercise - If you have a ½ an hour or so getting your muscles stretched and moving would do wonders to rejuvenate them. Remember that they have been paralyzed during certain sleep cycles they need to be reactivated to allow them to release endorphins to the brain which provide energy. 
5. Protein for breakfast - If you are not intermittent fasting and eating breakfast, make sure it is one to fight sluggishness. We know that food is the fuel that keeps us going, so make it a combo of lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, and lower-sugar fruits. No sugary breakfast foods - keep away from those in order to not go through dealing with blood sugar spikes that in the end cause more fatigue.
6. Don’t pound down the coffee - Have some, but not a lot. There are good health benefits to coffee, but partaking of cup after cup of the caffeinated drink can be a contributing factor of fatigue later on in the day.
7. Let the light in - Or better yet, go outside and enjoy the sunlight. It raises your serotonin levels and just makes most people feel happy to be alive. But, if that is too much for you first thing then at least adjust your curtains to let the sunshine in while you are getting used to the day.

Do you have other hacks that you know of that we have not listed? We would like to hear what works for you. In the meantime, put a few of these through the paces and see if they work for you. Good morning!!

Simple Meal Prep Tips For Weight Loss

Losing weight is probably one of the hardest battles that anyone can face. Not only does having excess weight impact your self-esteem but it can markedly affect your appearance and lead to depression and anxiety. Of all available weight loss methods, proper diet and nutrition are the most effective way to not only lose weight but to keep it off. Developing healthy eating habits can be your key to slimming down that waistline and gaining more confidence. As they say, ‘six packs are made in the kitchen’.

However, sticking to a healthy diet is easier said than done. For most people, it takes a lot of effort and can be considerably harder than previously imagined, as evidenced by the thousands of people who try diets and give up after only a few days. So what’s the secret to retaining a nutritious and healthy diet without falling off? Meal preparation!

Meal prep is the latest weight loss craze and it’s not hard to see why. Through the simple act of preparing healthful meals ahead of time, many have been able to accomplish their weight loss goals in a fraction of the time it takes the average person. Meal prep helps you to maintain a healthy diet even during those stressful days when you would most likely succumb to junk food cravings. Here are some simple tips to get you started on a meal prepping system that’ll help you shed those extra pounds.

 Tip # 1: Have a plan

The first rule of meal prepping is to plan ahead. It doesn’t help to meal prep if you don’t know what exactly you’re preparing and why. So think about the types of meals that you want to cook and the types of recipes you’re good at preparing, and make sure to come up with a versatile meal plan that you can use as your go-to for a number of months.

Another helpful element of meal prepping is to plan your meal times in advance. Instead of eating haphazardly or when you feel the urge, designate specific meal times and stick to them. Not only will this prevent unwanted and unplanned indulgence in unhealthy snacks, but it’ll also reduce those midsection inches and keep you healthier.

Tip #2: Create a grocery shopping list

Once you’ve figured out what you’ll be eating and when now it’s time to go shopping. The trick to sticking to your planned meals is to create your grocery list ahead of time and make sure that it only consists of ingredients that you’ll be using to prepare your meals. This will prevent you from buying on impulse or getting confused while shopping.

Ideally, you want to stick to organic and whole foods with enough variety to meet your body’s nutrient needs. Good carbs found in vegetables and fruit, lean protein and low GI grains are definitely the way to go to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

Tip #3: Get to chopping

Chop and slice vegetables and fruit according to your recipe requirements and store them in individual containers according to the relevant portions. Chopping veggies ahead of time cuts cooking time in half and encourages you to consume more salads and veggie based snacks than you would otherwise. Plus having chopped fruit on hand will satisfy your sweet tooth cravings to prevent reaching for ice cream or puddings during dessert.

Tip #4: Be generous with your portions

Try and cook big portions, especially when it comes to dinner meals, as the leftovers will take care of lunch the following day. Just be sure to store the leftovers in the fridge overnight and warm them up before you leave so that they’re nice and fresh for lunch time.

Also, preparing large portions will leave you feeling satisfied after each meal and prevent overindulging at your next meal, or running to the snack bar. And it’ll prevent from running out of meals before the week is done.

Tip #5: Have a designated meal prep day to keep you organised

Schedule your meal prepping time so that it falls on a particular day of the week, or you can even do it twice a week if your timetable allows. Just be sure to allocate yourself enough time to chop, cook, assemble, label and store all your meals so that it’s easier to find what you’re looking for during the week. Preferably 3 or more hours are enough to prepare meals for an entire week. If need be, you can also split your meal prepping to two days a week, so that you can slash your meal prepping time by half.

Tip #6: Use the right containers  

The effect of good quality storage containers on your food preparing endeavours cannot be underestimated. Having the right single-serving size containers, for example, will help you stick to the right portions and prevent binge eating or feeling unsatisfied. On the other hand, BPA free, airtight and fridge friendly containers will keep your food fresh to maintain nutrients for longer. Some good quality suggestions include Tupperware, glass and stainless steel containers. Not only do they meet all the stated requirements, but they also won’t melt while you’re warming your food in the oven.

Another good tip is to purchase small sized containers to keep snacks, as this will prevent overindulgence during snack time, and small containers are mobile enough to take with you in a handbag when you’re on the go. Lastly, glass bottles and jars are ideal for storing and travelling with your healthy smoothies and juices, and you can also use them to store things like oats, muesli and salads.

Tip #7: Make meal prep work for you

There’s a wide variety of healthy food options to choose from, so you should never feel forced to include certain health foods in your diet even if you don’t like them. Rather opt for healthy versions of the foods you like, such as spiralized zucchini noodles instead of pasta, or avocado fat instead of butter. Through healthier ingredients, you can enjoy the health benefits of genuine food without compromising on taste and flavour.

Tip #8: Organise your fridge right

When storing food in your fridge make sure to organise it in a way that will not only keep your food fresh but is also advantageous to your weight loss goals. For instance, keep the healthy selections at the front of the fridge so that it’s the first thing you grab when feeling peckish, and keep unhealthy options in the back to avoid consuming them at all.

The best place for cooked foods is on the top shelves, while the fridge door is better suited for keeping foods with a long shelf life as it’s the warmest place in the fridge. Also keep ethylene-producing plants such as bananas, avocados and tomatoes away from veggies with a short life span such as potatoes, cauliflower and spinach. On the other hand, the lower shelves provide ideal storage for foods that still need to be cooked, like chopped veggies and fruits.

A post shared by Amanda Meixner (@meowmeix) on Oct 16, 2017 at 5:14pm PDT

Tip #9: Create a variety of options  

Prepare a different meal for each day of the week to keep your palate excited and avoid getting bored at eating the same thing every day. Have an assortment of go-to recipes that use similar ingredients so that you can rotate them throughout the week. This way, you’ll have different options to choose from at all times and you can eat what you like instead of what’s available.

Top #10: Start with the complicated recipes first

Preparing the more sophisticated recipes while you’re still fresh and full of energy, and ending off with snacks will make meal prepping more enjoyable. Also, if you’re splitting your meal prepping duty into two days instead of one, then prepare the complicated recipes on the weekend day and the less complicated recipes during mid-week to save time and energy. It’s also a good idea to only prepare the recipes you know really well instead of trying out new and potentially time-consuming recipes that may not turn out the way you expected.

Step #11: Have enough snacks

Healthy snacking is part of a balanced diet and will help to stave off hunger pangs in between meals while keeping your sugar levels in check when you’re on the go. Things like dried fruit, nuts and seeds, energy balls, trail mix and string cheese are all healthy snack options that you can turn to satisfy your mid-afternoon cravings. Ideally, you should stock up on these during your grocery shopping, and be sure to buy enough to last you for the entire week. Also, remove all unhealthy snacks from your pantry and preserve your healthy snacks inside those cute mini containers, so as to prevent binge eating as well.

Tip #12: Use healthy condiments and sauces

Add some flavour to your food by using healthy spices and sauces, and avoid the store bought variety as it’s laden with calories, unhealthy sugars, fat and sodium. Alternatively, you can easily whip up a healthy marinade or dressing with simple but healthy ingredients like crushed garlic, olive oil, fresh ginger and herbs.

Tip #13: Develop a positive mindset to stay disciplined

Lastly, approach your food prepping with a positive attitude. Remember that you’re doing it to not only to reach your goal weight but to experience better health and to feel good about yourself. Don’t put pressure on yourself to prepare a week’s worth of meals if this is your first time. Rather start small with enough meals for three or more days and increase the amount as you get the hang of it to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Also, avoid preparing food on an empty stomach, as you might end up ‘tasting’ your way to excess calories.

8 Lunch Mistakes That Make You Gain Weight

So, we are meal preppers and we are feeling pretty confident as we pack away our meals for a week of healthy lunches. We have lunchtime in the bag (so to speak!). But do we really? There are a bunch of lunchtime mistakes that even the most careful meal prepper can overlook from time to time. Here are a few common mistakes that can be made that can possibly slow your progress at achieving your weight goals. The following is our top eight:

1. You Didn't Pack Enough Protein

 One of the best ways to use your calories is in the form of proteins. You will want to pack good and nutritious proteins that you prepare yourself. Stay away from processed lunch meats that have sodium nitrates in them as a preservative. These meats, aside from just being scary, can actually interfere with your body’s processing of sugar. Adding lots of good protein helps to decrease your appetite while increasing a feeling of fullness that will satisfy you throughout your day. It can also increase your metabolic rate to help you burn calories while at the same time protecting your muscle mass during weight loss.

2. No Variety

No one wants to eat the “same old, same old” continuously. You want to meal prep a variety of things to eat for your lunches. Make good use of your freezer when you cook your proteins to preserve them and to add to your lunches.They won’t spoil this way and can be used from time to time. Make good use of spices in your favorite dishes. Vary your healthy fats up occasionally too so that you don’t get bored. A boring lunch can make even the most dedicated weight watcher slip up and binge on something from the no-no list periodically.

3. Not Eating Enough Healthy Fat (Or Eating Too Much)

 Just a few decades ago, the accepted health mantra was “Fat makes you fat!” Since then, we have actually found the opposite to be true. Healthy fats are mandatory for a good, filling meal prep lunch. Fat is actually essential for weight loss and when it is coupled with a good portion of protein, it is very satisfying and keeps hunger and cravings at bay throughout the day. But, you also have to be smart about it. There is a balance. You don’t want to overdo the fats even if they are healthy. If you find that you are not losing weight, try cutting down on fat a smidge.

4. Portion Control

 This mistake can mean a few things. You can have poor portion control by having too few calories in your lunch making you hungry and open to temptation to make some bad food decisions within the hour. Or it can mean that you have overdone it making your lunch too large and left yourself open for derailing your weight loss efforts. Don’t over-fill your lunch containers. Because, more likely than not, we will eat all of whatever we pack.

5. Skipping Fruits & Vegetables

Important to include lots of veggies in your meals. In fact, it should be two-thirds of your meal (the remaining third being protein and carbohydrate). Vegetables provide lots of important fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Fruit is important too (fewer fruits than vegetables), and you should provide yourself with a variety of each every day.

6. Cheating With Processed Foods & Condiments

 Let’s face it, meal prepping takes a fair amount of time and commitment on our part. It is very tempting to let our guard down and fall back on processed foods from time to time. And to make it more enticing, these unhealthy foods (which are generally high in sugar and sodium) have a longer shelf life than those made from scratch. But don’t be give in! Instead, remember the pledge you have made to yourself and take the time to make your healthy marinades and dressings in bulk and freeze them in freezer bags for easy use when you need them.

7. Eating Out Too Much

We all have in the position of going to a restaurant and being served a meal that is big enough to feed a small village. OK, I am exaggerating a little, but really, restaurants can be hard because we have a tendency to eat everything that is placed in front of us. It is especially hard if we might be under some stress and feel the need of some comfort food. Or how about when we forget to plan ahead for lunch and we are hungry. Remember the sage advice “never grocery shop when you are hungry”? Same concept.

8. Packing Flavored Drinks

 Whether it is diet soda or juice, both should be avoided. Diet sodas may be zero calories, but the sweeteners that most diet sodas use are far from a healthy choice. Juices, on the other hand, are filled with sugar. Your best bet is to pack water to hydrate yourself throughout the day and before you eat to help curb your appetite and keep you from eating beyond satiating your hunger.

There are other mistakes that we might have included, but these are our top 8. What lunchtime mistakes (if any) have you made? Let us know in the comments below.

 

[ajax_load_more post_type="recipe" button_label="Free Meal Prep Recipes"]

 

When it comes to achieving lean tissue levels, increasing fitness and maintaining optimal health, cutting calories presents the pathway to do so. Yes, calories are needed for the energy which fuels our performance. However, there are times when cut-backs are required to achieve various goals. Maybe you’re getting married in 60 days and you already went to the tailor for fitting and customization. You are now pressured to cut the calories to lose weight to fit into that dress on your special day. Yet you must go about calorie reduction the right way to reduce the occurrence of the negative consequences of not doing so properly. Here is our special list of guidelines for cutting calories the right way.

13 Tips for Cutting Calories The Right Way

Fact is when you want to address anything health-related, you have to start with the right thoughts and follow through with the right approach. Let’s see how healthy calorie cutting can be achieved!

1. Calorie Cutting - The Best Time To Begin

Give yourself time. If you wish to achieve a goal, you must work towards it long before the final output arrives. Likewise, if you have a tournament coming up, you may want to take advantage of the offseason. During the off-season, you will be allowed the time to focus on gradually getting to the point you wish to be! Additionally, your body will get the opportunity to adjust to the changes that a cut in your calories would cause before your debut. 

2. Slow and Steady - Calorie Reduction

Immediate results when it comes to cutting calories is a myth proven false. Avoid drastic methods to gain speedy results. Cut your calories over a period of time until you get to where you’d like to be. If you usually consume in excess of 800+ calories daily, consider starting cutting to 750 in the first instance. 

After a few days consider cutting calories further to 675. Eventually, you will get there as you do so gradually so you can see the marked difference as you go along.

3. How Calories Affect Energy Balance?

First off, energy balance refers to establishing a balance between what you eat and the amount of activity you engage in, on a daily basis. This balance is what determines if you gain, lose or maintain a given weight. A negative energy balance does cause weight loss. This, in turn, causes the body to use its fat stores to provide energy.

As you partake in calorie reduction, you should avoid a severe negative balance as this is associated with unfavorable symptoms. A severe negative energy balance causes:

• Brain fog
• Moodiness 
• A decrease in bone mass
• A reduction in hormone distribution
• Poor physical performance

4. Nutrient-rich Low-calorie Foods

The foods you consume while cutting calories should be low in calories but rich in nutrients the body needs. Nutrient-rich foods are low in sugar and bad fats making them the perfect supplement for all the extra calories you are not consuming. They include foods such as:

• Fish, poultry, meat, and beans are great sources of proteins.
• Fruits and vegetables, especially those organically grown and free of pesticides. They are packed with vitamins and minerals.
• Grains for fiber and carbohydrates.

5. Health Benefits Of Reducing Sugar Intake

If you aren’t training for an upcoming event, a decrease in sugar will further help you in cutting calories. Yes, sugar gives bursts of energy when consumed. But we’ve all heard of the dreaded sugar crash, right? A reduction in sugar actually allows your body to:

• Be energized throughout the day and not just at sugar moments.
• Reduce mood swings, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, and digestive issues.
• Prevent obesity.
• Have clearer skin.

6. Foods To Increase Fiber Intake

Foods rich in fiber help give that feeling of being satisfied or ‘full’. Yet these foods also assist in digestion by helping to keep the intestines clear for efficient digestion! Fiber-rich foods include legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.  Take a look at these Health Benefits of Eating Oats

7. Daily Intake Of Protein

Have small servings of protein throughout out the day instead of one large serving for lunch. Almonds, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, oats, and broccoli are all delicious sources of protein to snack on during the day.  Here are 18 High-Protein Meal Prep Recipes to give you new inspo

8. Healthy Calorie Intake

When you do have to exercise and train for events, remember to increase your calorie intake before, during and after. This is to help you in maintaining your energy balance. Failure to take in the extra calories will result in poor performance. You have to put in a bit extra to get the extra energy needed to perform.  Figure out your optimal calorie intake and meals HERE

9. How To Avoid Snacking

A quick snack always seems to provide such useful hunger relief, right? Most times we feel a persistent urge to snack its because we’ve missed meals or haven’t eaten right for the day. You can avoid excessive snacking by:

• Drinking fewer calories
• Not missing meals.
• Carefully organize your portions
• Eating high nutrient foods which leave you feeling satisfied.

10. Decreasing Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol is rich in calories but it does not leave you with that sated feeling. If you are cutting calories, alcohol consumption must decrease also or else, your calorie levels will rapidly increase.

11. Tips On Staying Hydrated

Our body needs water to function efficiently. There are no two ways about this. Therefore, ensure that you stay hydrated while cutting calories. You may:

• Guess what!? The more water you drink, when feeling ‘hungry’, the fewer calories you consume.
• Check urine color to know if your body could do with some water even if you don’t ‘feel’ thirsty.
• You can also get water from your fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cucumber, and strawberries.

Read more about Dehydration and Tips to Avoid it here

12. Monitor Your Intake

The power is in your hands! No one can do it for you. Take a closer look at what you eat while cutting calories. Be realistic about what you wish to achieve. Habits won’t change overnight but with time the patterns can be broken. Customize your meals appropriately and celebrate the small victories cause they add up.

13. Importance Of Chewing Properly

You’re already cutting calories, ensure you get the maximum nutrients and minerals from your meals. Help your body digest the food you eat by chewing your food properly before you swallow. Doing so also helps nutrients to get extracted at a faster rate. So chew slowly and crunch what you munch before you swallow!

Which one of our guidelines did you find most beneficial to you? Let us know in the comments section.

Cutting Calories The Right Way

When it comes to achieving lean tissue levels, increasing fitness and maintaining optimal health, cutting calories presents the pathway to do so. Yes, calories are needed for the energy which fuels our performance. However, there are times when cut-backs are required to achieve various goals. Maybe you’re getting married in 60 days and you already went to the tailor for fitting and customization. You are now pressured to cut the calories to lose weight to fit into that dress on your special day. Yet you must go about calorie reduction the right way to reduce the occurrence of the negative consequences of not doing so properly. Here is our special list of guidelines for cutting calories the right way.

13 Guidelines for Cutting Calories Healthily

Fact is when you want to address anything health-related, you have to start with the right thoughts and follow through with the right approach. Let’s see how healthy calorie cutting can be achieved!

1. Calorie Cutting - The Best Time To Begin

Give yourself time. If you wish to achieve a goal, you must work towards it long before the final output arrives. Likewise, if you have a tournament coming up, you may want to take advantage of the offseason. During the off-season, you will be allowed the time to focus on gradually getting to the point you wish to be! Additionally, your body will get the opportunity to adjust to the changes that a cut in your calories would cause before your debut. 

2. Slow and Steady - Calorie Reduction

Immediate results when it comes to cutting calories is a myth proven false. Avoid drastic methods to gain speedy results. Cut your calories over a period of time until you get to where you’d like to be. If you usually consume in excess of 800+ calories daily, consider starting cutting to 750 in the first instance. 

After a few days consider cutting calories further to 675. Eventually, you will get there as you do so gradually so you can see the marked difference as you go along.

3. How Calories Affect Energy Balance?

First off, energy balance refers to establishing a balance between what you eat and the amount of activity you engage in, on a daily basis. This balance is what determines if you gain, lose or maintain a given weight. A negative energy balance does cause weight loss. This, in turn, causes the body to use its fat stores to provide energy.

As you partake in calorie reduction, you should avoid a severe negative balance as this is associated with unfavorable symptoms. A severe negative energy balance causes:

• Brain fog
• Moodiness 
• A decrease in bone mass
• A reduction in hormone distribution
• Poor physical performance

4. Nutrient-rich Low-calorie Foods

The foods you consume while cutting calories should be low in calories but rich in nutrients the body needs. Nutrient-rich foods are low in sugar and bad fats making them the perfect supplement for all the extra calories you are not consuming. They include foods such as:

• Fish, poultry, meat, and beans are great sources of proteins.
• Fruits and vegetables, especially those organically grown and free of pesticides. They are packed with vitamins and minerals.
• Grains for fiber and carbohydrates.

5. Health Benefits Of Reducing Sugar Intake

If you aren’t training for an upcoming event, a decrease in sugar will further help you in cutting calories. Yes, sugar gives bursts of energy when consumed. But we’ve all heard of the dreaded sugar crash, right? A reduction in sugar actually allows your body to:

• Be energized throughout the day and not just at sugar moments.
• Reduce mood swings, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, and digestive issues.
• Prevent obesity.
• Have clearer skin.

6. Foods To Increase Fiber Intake

Foods rich in fiber help give that feeling of being satisfied or ‘full’. Yet these foods also assist in digestion by helping to keep the intestines clear for efficient digestion! Fiber-rich foods include legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

7. Daily Intake Of Protein

Have small servings of protein throughout out the day instead of one large serving for lunch. Almonds, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, oats, and broccoli are all delicious sources of protein to snack on during the day.

8. Healthy Calorie Intake

When you do have to exercise and train for events, remember to increase your calorie intake before, during and after. This is to help you in maintaining your energy balance. Failure to take in the extra calories will result in poor performance. You have to put in a bit extra to get the extra energy needed to perform.

9. How To Avoid Snacking

A quick snack always seems to provide such useful hunger relief, right? Most times we feel a persistent urge to snack its because we’ve missed meals or haven’t eaten right for the day. You can avoid excessive snacking by:

• Drinking fewer calories
• Not missing meals.
• Carefully organize your portions
• Eating high nutrient foods which leave you feeling satisfied.

10. Decreasing Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol is rich in calories but it does not leave you with that sated feeling. If you are cutting calories, alcohol consumption must decrease also or else, your calorie levels will rapidly increase.

11. Tips On Staying Hydrated

Our body needs water to function efficiently. There are no two ways about this. Therefore, ensure that you stay hydrated while cutting calories. You may:

• Guess what!? The more water you drink, when feeling ‘hungry’, the fewer calories you consume.
• Check urine color to know if your body could do with some water even if you don’t ‘feel’ thirsty.
• You can also get water from your fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cucumber, and strawberries.

12. Monitor Your Intake

The power is in your hands! No one can do it for you. Take a closer look at what you eat while cutting calories. Be realistic about what you wish to achieve. Habits won’t change overnight but with time the patterns can be broken. Customize your meals appropriately and celebrate the small victories cause they add up.

13. Importance Of Chewing Properly

You’re already cutting calories, ensure you get the maximum nutrients and minerals from your meals. Help your body digest the food you eat by chewing your food properly before you swallow. Doing so also helps nutrients to get extracted at a faster rate. So chew slowly and crunch what you munch before you swallow!

Which one of our guidelines did you find most beneficial to you? Let us know in the comments section.

7 Diet Myths Busted

Diet myths easily thrive in the health and fitness world. Some of them are encouraged by the agendas and surpluses of the food industry. Some we have heard for decades and now are just accepted as fact. Some of them actually sound logical (ie. “Fat makes you fat.”) so we believe them because they just sound right. But with the increasing commonality of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes, we have realized that what we have been doing for decades cannot be right.

The following are Meal Prep On Fleek’s  top 7 diet myths busted

1. Whole Wheat and Grains are Your Friends

There is a whole history to wheat that we will only touch on here, but suffice it to say, that the wheat and grain that we ingest today is no longer the wheat that we consumed 100 years ago; its no longer your Grandmother’s grains. The sad fact is, that wheat is a commodity that can be used to feed a hungry world very cheaply, but it has gone through so many modifications of how it is grown, harvested, and processed, that it has been greatly reduced in its nutritional value and can actually be linked to digestive problems and the soaring increase of diabetes and obesity epidemic..

Modern milling of grain for flour (as opposed to vegetable flours) can be done quickly, conveniently, and economically, but leaving it without any nutritional value to speak of. Additionally, our modern wheat crop is soaked in pesticides (since the 1960’s) to make it resistant to pests and to allow for a bigger harvest per acre. I don’t need to tell you that this is not a healthy development! Unfortunately, the more we avail ourselves to this high carb, inflammatory food, the less we consume vegetables and healthy fats and proteins.

2. Low-Carb Diets are Dangerous

Being taken in by this myth would require you to believe that reducing blood pressure, insulin levels, and body fat is dangerous to your health. When we consume carbohydrates, our body immediately turns those carbs into glucose. Glucose is important to provide fuel for our cells however, our cells have only a certain capacity that it can hold. When that capacity is exceeded, the rest is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. If there is excess beyond the capacity of muscles and liver, it is then stored as fat in the body. Excess fat can then lead to higher amounts of insulin resistance (elevated insulin levels) which is known to make us store fat. The less insulin resistance, the more fat can be released to be burned for energy resulting in weight loss. Cutting carbs is the best way to deplete glycogen so that it is not as available and your body will then turn to your fat stores for its energy first.

3. It is Best to Eat Many Small Meals Throughout the Day

This is one of the most logical sounding myths about dieting out there. The logic goes that it is easier to keep our metabolic furnaces fired up and burning calories if we provide little bits fuel for it to burn throughout the day. It sounds good, except that it may not work that way at all. Recent studies into the idea have found that it is less important how often you eat than what you eat. It may actually be true that by grazing throughout the day, never allowing yourself to feel a hunger pang, can actually not give your body opportunity to burn residual fat because you are constantly providing fuel for your metabolism. There is a certain amount of energy expended when you are digesting food and the number of calories you eat will determine how much. This burning of calories is called the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). Two or three normal meals a day will keep your metabolism going just as strongly as six small ones.

4. Egg are High in Cholesterol and Should be Avoided

According to the Harvard Health Letter dated January 2017, this is a myth. It matters more what you pair with your egg rather than whether you have one. Those that are at high risk for heart attack or diabetic (type 2) are recommended to limit eggs to no more than 3 per week, but for the general public, eggs are a wonderful whole food protein. Eggs have come under scrutiny because of the amount of cholesterol in the yolk. Recently, however, studies have shown that cholesterol is made by the liver and our LDL (bad cholesterol) levels does not come primarily from dietary cholesterol. Go eat those eggs fam!

5. Stay Away from Saturated Fat

“Fat makes you fat!” Isn’t that the dieting mantra that you heard over and over until recently? I sure did and I am so pleased to learn that this is not true at all. Trans fat can cause inflammation and is very unhealthy (see below about oils), but that should not be confused with saturated healthy fat.

I always struggled with enjoying low-fat anything (even though low-fat items are loaded with extra sugar) and now, I find out that I don’t need to cut out all those wonderfully great tasting healthy fats. Come to find out, we NEED fats in our diets not only for the taste and nutrition they provide but also to keep us healthy and satisfied so we don’t crave extra calories in between meals. Look to add some of these fats to your favorite recipes and watch your LDL(good cholesterol) level rise: Butter, Avocado, Olive oil, and Coconut oil.

6. A High-Protein Diet is Unrealistic and Unhealthy

Actually, recent studies have shown that if you stay within 35% of your overall calories being protein, you are on the best track of keeping your blood sugar stabilized throughout the day so that you don’t have the typical sugar highs and lows, moodiness, and cravings that tend to accompany other food plans. Protein is important for strong bones and healthy organs. Enjoy your proteins that come in the form of certain organic meats, salmon, bone broth, kefir, nuts, and beans. Lentils also are a great source of protein!

7. Refined Seed and Vegetable Oils are Super Healthy and Lower Cholesterol - NOT!

Nothing could be farther from the truth when it comes to healthy oils. Vegetable oils, which do not actually come from vegetables, but processed seeds, contain trans fats which are known to be highly inflammatory and unhealthy for us. This is because refined seed oils are rich in Omega 6 fatty acids which are pro-inflammatory. What we want is foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which help to reduce inflammation. Not to mention that the processing methods which involve “washing” the oil in chemical solvents. Eww. That can not be good for us. The oils that you want to consume and cook with are plant oils like olive oil, coconut oil, and the newest best oil on the block, avocado oil.

Have you ever fallen into the trap of any of these diet myths? What about something else?

 

I am a recovering sugar addict.

I never realized that I was addicted to sugar until a few years ago. But when I look back at my patterns, it was clear that I was. Sugar was never kept in my house much growing up, which lead me to view it as a treat. This caused me to view sugar as a forbidden reward – and to turn to sugar in certain situations. In university (college) when I was stressed, I turned to sour candies.

During this time of my life, I was also sleep deprived and not always the most physically active. It’s not surprising that I gained the freshman fifteen. I wasn’t paying attention to what body really needed, and wasn’t working with it as well as I could be. How ironic that this all happened while I was studying nutrition in university.

Does any of this sound familiar? Does this happen to you or someone you know? In order to overcome your cravings, you have to understand your triggers first.

I’ve listed 10 culprits below that could be reasons for your sugar addiction.

1. You aren’t eating enough/your food isn’t balanced during the day.
   When I was away at university, I would eat cereal or a bagel in my room and then rush off to the class or the library. I would have a small veggie sandwich for lunch and then be STARVING by the time dinner came around and pig out at Mongolian Grill. I wasn’t eating enough during the day and wasn’t balancing my food properly. I needed to up the protein at breakfast and lunch, decrease the carbs, add more veggies and add a snack in between my meals. My blood sugar was skyrocketing after breakfast and lunch and then crashing 1 hour later. No wonder I having sugar cravings – I needed more energy which would come from more a balanced and frequent eating pattern.
2. You aren’t listening to your body.
   Sugar is the quickest form of energy, so when we are lacking energy, it makes sense that we crave it, even if we’re not hungry. However, a craving may indicate that we need to give our body something other than the sugar it is craving. When I was in school, my body was suffering from all of the factors listed below, which heightened my cravings.
   1. Make sure you ask yourself:
      1. Are you tired? When we are tired our body has a very hard time dealing with cravings. Our appetite-suppressing hormones go completely out of whack, causing intense carb, fat and sugar cravings.
      2. Are you craving physical activity? Low physical activity can affect the body’s release of hormones and chemical messenger that may increase food cravings.
      3. Are you stressed? Stress raises your stress hormone cortisol, which in turn causes your appetite craving hormones to skyrocket.
3. You are thirsty. 
   Sometimes dehydration can disguise itself as hunger. We have become so dehydrated as a society, that we cannot distinguish thirst from hunger anymore. Drink a glass of water, wait 20 minutes, then see if you are still hungry. Are you? Probably not.
4. Your environment isn’t working for you.
   Our environment is ‘obesogenic’ – which means that we live in an environment that prompts weight gain and is one that is not conducive to weight loss. Environmental prompts are often subtle, yet their influence on our behaviors can be powerful. There are many small renovations that you can do to ‘craving-proof’ your immediate environment, that makes controlling your cravings much easier. One example is changing the size of your plates and glasses to be the size of your grandparent's plates and glasses – you may be surprised how much these items have grown through the years!
5. You are confusing heart hunger for stomach hunger.
   Are you eating because you are stressed/bored/tired/lonely/upset, etc? Certain foods can be viewed as comfort or pleasure when we are feeling different emotions. We turn to these foods to nurture our unpleasant feelings. However, how do we feel after we’ve eaten these foods? We still have those same uncomfortable feelings, and now we are also frustrated and guilty about our eating. I know for myself, I used to be a real stress eater. I still do have cravings for sugar when I’m stressed work, but I realized that these cravings usually happen when I haven’t had a break. Simply getting up from my desk and removing myself from my work environment has helped me work with these cravings. 
6. You are confusing mouth hunger for stomach hunger.
   Do you eat because you are looking for something with a certain taste, texture or smell? You’re craving the pleasure of food. Food scientists are working tirelessly to make sure food products appeal to our pleasure senses. Want to learn more? Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Micheal Moss is a great read.
7. You are multi-tasking/rushing too much.
   If you hardly have time in your day to eat and often eating while driving to work, in front of your computer/TV, then you are likely mindlessly eating. Slim down by slowing down! Learn to savor each bite. Mindful eating can be challenging, as our society is so fast pace. If you practice eating at a table, without distractions or multi-tasking, you could reduce how much you eat by 30%! This is because you will realize you are full sooner and will be paying attention to everything you put in your mouth. Mindful eating is something that I’ve been practicing and am slowly mastering.
8. You are restricting your diet. 
   Very restrictive or low-calorie diets cause semi-starvation, which can affect you physically and mentally. You may become irritable, have decreased concentration and think excessively about food. For some people, very strict diets can lead to binge eating. Make sure you don’t eat less than 1200 calories a day. 
9. You are not eating every 4 hours.
   Going too long without eating makes it hard to control your appetite and can affect your blood sugar level. A lower blood sugar can trigger a powerful urge to eat. I.e. don’t skip snacks!! Check out this blog post for healthy weight-controlling snack ideas.
10. A circumstance/person/place is your trigger.
    You may notice that when you are with certain people, in particular situations, or when specific events occur, you are more likely to eat in a way that is problematic. Sometimes these circumstances can also lead to difficult feelings such as anxiety, anger or boredom, which in turn can trigger eating.Need help identifying why you are having your cravings? Don’t hesitate to contact me! I’ve helped many of my clients learn about the triggers for their cravings and develop strategies to manage them.

READY TO SAY, “GOODBYE” TO FORGETTING TO MEAL PLAN, FOOD BOREDOM, AND “FINDING MOTIVATION.”

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Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: Are you too ‘healthy’ to have a menstrual cycle?

Too healthy? Yes - too healthy! You ensure you count your calories, strictly adhere to the restrictions of the diet you follow and exercise as if life depends on it. You are slender and fit but unable to have a regular menstrual cycle. If this is the case, you may be suffering from a condition called hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA).

What is Hypothalamic Amenorrhea

When signals in the brain get interrupted and the messages which relate to your menstrual cycle aren’t relayed to the brain, HA could be the cause. Hypothalamic amenorrhea is a condition whereby menstruation does not occur for several months. This could be an indicator of another health problem, or due to problems affecting the hypothalamus. It could also be a result of natural factors such as pregnancy and breastfeeding.

What causes Hypothalamic Amenorrhea

Poor nutrition and stress are named as the main factors which contribute to this condition. Most individuals who experience this condition may be underweight or at the lower end of the healthy BMI scale. As a result, high levels of mental or physical stress and eating disorders have been identified as the leading contributors to hypothalamic amenorrhea. Other medical conditions which contribute to this condition are:

• Sarcoidosis
• Hypothyroidism
• Psychiatric disorders
• Galactosemia
• Hyperthyroidism

Source: NIH

Diagnosis of Hypothalamic Amenorrhea

There are several methods which can be used to diagnose HA. You may seek to check your body mass index to identify if you are on the low scale of healthy or underweight. Also, consider the effects the diet you follow along with the rigorous exercise routine as they may also contribute to abnormalities with one’s menstrual cycle. There are also test which may be recommended by your doctor. These include imaging tests, lab tests, and scope tests.

• Imaging tests are performed to view the tissues of your reproductive organs as well as surrounding organs to identify any abnormalities. These images are often obtained through the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) and ultrasounds.
• Lab tests are conducted to analyze blood samples. These tests aim at finding out how well your hormonal functions are being carried out. Additionally, if there are problems with the glands responsible for secreting the necessary hormones, that too can be revealed. This information is gained from tests such as prolactin, pregnancy, thyroid function, male-hormone, and ovary function test.
• If all else produces no answer, then a closer look is taken with a scope test. A hysteroscopy may be recommended whereby a thin lit camera is inserted vaginally into the womb to look at its insides.

Treatment for Hypothalamic Amenorrhea

The treatment of hypothalamic amenorrhea is dependent upon what causes it. If, for example, you are experiencing HA because of a hormonal imbalance, your doctor may prescribe contraceptive pills according to their hormonal content. Additionally, hormone therapy may be explored as a form of treatment in the hopes of balancing your hormones.

Medications may also be prescribed in the hopes of treating, for example, pituitary or thyroid disorders. Also, surgery may be another means of treatment, if a tumor or other growth is physically obstructing the menstrual cycle. A surgeon will cut out the abnormal growth in the hopes of restoring the normalcy of the menstrual cycle.

Yet there are lifestyle changes which have been said to also assist with the treatment of hypothalamic amenorrhea. Too little food and great exercise can cause this condition, therefore it would be best to seek a balance with rest, recreation and work. Decreasing stress levels always assists in returning normal function to bodily processes.

For more information on treating HA with improved nutrition, click here

Effects of Hypothalamic Amenorrhea on Health:

Bearing in mind that hypothalamic amenorrhea is reversible, it’s effects on health need not be endured without end. However, the lack of hormone estrogen may cause some concern as its function extends passed fertility. The lack of estrogen in the system affects organs, and tissues throughout the body.

As such, a deficiency of estrogen in premenopausal women has given rise to cardiovascular diseases, problems with bone health and an emotional roll-a-coaster of mood swings and depression. These all contribute to an overall weakening of the body’s skeletal, psychological and reproductive systems.

Can I get pregnant?

While you are experiencing HA, pregnancy will not be possible. The imbalance of hormones and gland activity will prevent your menstrual cycle from facilitating pregnancy. However, once you treat and rid yourself of hypothalamic amenorrhea, by making the necessary lifestyle changes, pregnancy will become a possibility. Additionally, there are fertility treatments which can also assist in making pregnancy possible.

What is the difference between HA and PCOS?

Although HA and PCOS both result in the absence of regular menstrual cycles, they are by no means the same. PCOS  is a condition caused due to elevated male hormones (androgens) and insulin resistance. On the other hand, hypothalamic menorrhea is mainly caused due to insufficient eating and too much exercise.

How much should I eat?

Restricting calories is a definite no-no. Increasing your calorie intake is a step in the right direction. Foods rich in natural fats, like dairy and simple carbs, can greatly assist the process. You are encouraged to eat healthy portions of meals without feeling guilty.

How much should I exercise?

The bare minimum of exercise will surely facilitate prompt recovery. The less exercise you engage in, the faster your body is able to return back to how it should function. The intensity of exercise does have an impact on hormone production. Once you have allowed the body to restore its natural abilities, it is possible to return to your exercise routine. However, while you are seeking to rid yourself of hypothalamic amenorrhea, rigorous exercise will prevent your progress.

How much weight do I need to gain?

The amount of weight which you will have to gain will be dependent upon your individual BMI. If you are one who exercises too much but has no restrictions on eating, then less exercise and minimum weight gain may just do the trick!

Do you think you may have HA? What treatment suggestion was most helpful? Do you have any other tips and tricks that have been working for you? We would love to know what your personal journey has been like. Drop a comment below.